How to Properly Deal With Lumbar Spine Pain

Are you struggling with consistent lumbar spine pain?

The lumbar spine is the lower portion of the back and features a mix of bones, nerves, and muscles. Ligaments, blood vessels, and intervertebral discs also form the lumbar spine.

Close to 65 million Americans complain of back pain. Around 16 million of them are adults suffering from chronic pain. The problem with this type of lower back pain is it can affect your movements.

It can disrupt your mobility and affect your productivity at work. How do you address lower back pain? Continue reading below for some answers.

Try the Hot and Cold Treatment

Different factors may trigger lumbar spine pain, such as herniated discs and osteoarthritis. It can also happen when you injure your back muscles.

In such cases, use the hot and cold treatment. When you experience lower back pain for the first time, put some ice over the area.

Fill up an ice pack with some ice cubes and wrap it with a cloth. Apply it over your lower back for a maximum of 10 minutes. Repeat the application throughout the day for the next 24 to 48 hours.

After the second day, you can start applying heat over your lower back. Wrap the heat pack with a cloth before applying it to your lower back. Apply heat for 10 minutes per session throughout the day.

Strengthen Your Core

Providing ample support on your lower back involves strong back and abdominal muscles. Exercising and strengthening your core will help reduce lower back issues.

When working out in the gym, sit upright on an exercise ball for 30 minutes. If you have one at home, perform the exercise daily.

Yoga also helps relieve lumbar spine pain in various ways. Yoga exercises feature slow and controlled movements to stretch the muscles, which reduces lower back tension and provides stress relief.

Start practicing the Child’s Pose since it specifically targets the lower back muscles. Start on all fours and stretch your back. After that, rest your bottom on both feet.

Extend your hands on the floor and hold the position for 30 seconds. Return to your starting position and repeat at least five times.

Maintain Good Posture

Bad posture is one of the primary factors contributing to back pain. As more people embrace a work-from-home setup, it’s easy to sit for hours without minding your posture.

When working on your bed, avoid hunching over your laptop. If you need to sit for a long time, invest in a properly cushioned office chair. Stay away from hard seats with no proper back support.

Keep your feet shoulder-width apart when you are standing for a long time. Shift your weight from one foot to another and try to tuck your stomach while standing.

Rethink your workspace and make it more ergonomic. Keep your computer monitor an arm’s length away from your chair. The top part of your laptop should also be under eye level.

Modify Your Lifestyle

Revisit your daily lifestyle and identify the activities triggering your back pain. If you are doing the groceries, examine how you feel during and after the activity. Did you feel pain during your grocery trip?

When cleaning the house or mowing the lawn, take brief breaks and see whether you feel pain in your lower back. From there, you can determine the specific movements and activities potentially leading to your back issues.

Drop your bad habits like smoking. Nicotine from cigarettes can disrupt healing and increase pain.

You should also eat properly and avoid foods causing inflammation. Cut down on processed foods, refined sugars, and trans fats, while increasing your fruit and vegetable intake.

Sleep Right and Smart

Your sleeping habits can also improve your back condition. When recovering from back injuries, get enough sleep to restore your body faster. After all, it also gives you more energy the following day.

Sleep smart by finding your most comfortable position. However, sleeping on your side is better than sleeping on your belly. Ensure your shoulders meet the mattress.

Place a pillow between your knees. If there’s a gap between the mattress and your waist, use a smaller pillow to fill it up.

Use a firm pillow when you are a side sleeper. If you prefer sleeping on your back, use a thinner pillow or those with extra bottom padding. Doing so gives more neck support.

If you have a herniated disc, sleep on your side in a fetal position. Tuck your knees until they are close to your chest before curling your torso toward them. This curling position will loosen up the space between vertebrae.

Avoid Bed Rest

Sleeping smart is vital, but it does not mean staying in bed all day. Lying down for several hours can increase your pain and hinder your healing.

Stay active without overexerting your back. Continue walking daily, especially when the pain is manageable. Engage your brain by becoming mindful. Meditation and controlled breathing can help train the brain to ignore or reduce pain signals.

You should also do simple activities that make you happy, like walking your dog or chatting with a friend. Focus on positive things to reduce your stress levels.

Therapies Work

If the remedies are ineffective, call a spine doctor or a licensed physical therapist. The latter addresses back pain by retraining your posture. It will also test the limits of your back muscles toward pain.

A therapist will also introduce you to a set of back stretches and flexibility exercises. People have different conditions and symptoms concerning their back pain. Through physical therapy, you will go through a program that meets your requirements and physical capabilities.

Let’s Address Your Lumbar Spine Pain Today

Knowing how to deal with lumbar spine pain allows you to feel more comfortable while regaining your mobility. If the pain continues to bother you, a visit to a spine expert is your best move.

Connect with us today and tell us more about your back issues. We offer safe and effective treatments for the lower back and other related concerns.